They Will Return

Adjusting to life after release proves different and difficult for Jor Aeldan.

Date:

17 June 2013

Related:

None

June 17, 3013 — Landing

It had been perhaps a week since his release, but after fifteen years, Jor couldn’t sit down and simply relax and be idle. He always had to be doing something. Just thinking of sleeping in elicited memories of his watchers jabbing and/or hauling him out of the blankets and on to another day of drudgery and near exhaustion. It was enough of an incentive that he simply could not do it anymore, as though the jolting prods were approaching his skin from the moment his eyes opened.

Even his other, former habits were different now: showers were done within two minutes; breakfast was brief, bland, and consumed quickly; even his personal grooming was nearly forgotten every day had it not been for Sera setting a reminder for him before he had come back to this small living space. Even the Haven News was a brief watch these days, with the sole exception of an important story. The vid screen was off now when it wasn’t in use, when he could vaguely remember it being left active every waking minute he was at home.

Because of all that, he was always out the door within thirty minutes of awakening.

It also meant dealing with the difficulty ahead: finding a job where he wouldn’t be looked at suspiciously, or worse, censure, by every last person for whom he could conceivably do the work. He’d applied to several minor duties, including enforcement muscle for a more disreputable location, but they’d all turned him down flat. Apparently real criminals weren’t welcome at seedy bars.

He’d almost punched the man in the face for saying that with that cool disdain. It’d been an effort not to, the only reason stopping his hand being the likelihood of the Watch getting involved. They would likely not need much excuse to incarcerate him again, he wagered.

So he left, and went on to other possibilities, and every day, he kept coming up short. Lack of income was an issue, of course, as was not acquiring work, but he was beginning to run out of ideas how to compensate for that black stain on his record. The simple approach, trying for jobs that were basic, expendable positions, had been as much of a bust as anything else.

So after the fifth fruitless day of trying to become gainfully employed, he made a gamble: he called one of his former partners on the Watch. As expected, it went straight to the message keeper.

“Hi, Arin…”

What Jor hadn’t expected - in fact, was most surprised by - was how anxious leaving that message made him. He hoped Arin would agree with the proposal. It was currently the only option he had.